RAIDS IN PALESTINE

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 42, 17 August 1918, Page 7

RAIDS IN PALESTINE

PARTICULARS OF THE OPERA

TIONS.

CAIRO, 14th August. Mr. W. T. Massey, war correspondent, writes : On. Monday night the enemy lines astride the Jerusalem-Nablus-road were raided on several miles of front by London, Irish, and Indian troops, with most successful results, 250 prisoners being taken. From 150 to 200 Turks were killed or wounded. The main raid was west of the road, against a line of entrenched hills, most difficult of approach, owing to their steep, rocky sides. Two columns about three miles apart moved against the hills •on either flank of the entrench-n-jnts. When the artillery barrage lifted, "Indian troops from each column rushed the flanking hills. Then the Irishmen, moving from the ends of the line towards the centre, got astride the tienches, and so suipriaed the enemy. Prisoners state that many v ere actually firing at right angles to the direction of our advance. While this main attack was progressing, three subsidiary raids were made east of the Nab-lus-road. In one of the raids the Londoners killed fifty men; in the third the Indians rushed a system of trenches. Thanks to the magnificent co-operation of the artillery and infantry our casualties were exceptionally light.